Monthly active contacts (MACs) is the usage metric behind SleekFlow’s new pricing. It aligns what you pay with how much value you get from customer engagement on SleekFlow. In this article, we will walk you through how monthly active contacts will be calculated.
What are monthly active contacts (MACs)?
A contact is counted as 1 MAC for the current billing month if any one of the following happens:
- Incoming message: the contact sends you a message on any connected channel (including Live Chat).
-
Outgoing message: the contact receives a message sent from your business, including messages sent via:
- Inbox (all channels, Live Chat included)
- Flow Builder (automations)
- AI agent
- WhatsApp Co-existence (WhatsApp Business App)
- Zapier / Make.com / SleekFlow API
What does not count
The actions below does not counts toward MACs:
- Contacts who only receive a Broadcast and don’t reply
- Messages sent and received inside AI agent playground
- Messages from internal tools: Testing channel
- Contacts created/imported/synced only (no messaging activity), e.g., via CRM sync
ℹ️ A contact can message you in multiple channels and still counts as 1 MAC for the month.
Some examples:
- You sent a Flow message to a contact via WhatsApp → Counts as MAC
- You imported 5,000 contacts but didn’t message them → Doesn’t count
- You broadcast to a list and no one replies → Doesn’t count
- A contact chats with you via Instagram and later via Live Chat → Counts as 1 MAC (not two)
Difference between MACs and total contacts
- Total contacts = everyone in your workspace database
-
Monthly active contacts (MACs) = only the contacts that were active (as defined above) this month
What happens when I reach my MACs limit?
To protect service quality, we temporarily pause actions that would increase MACs. When you hit 100%:
- Inbox messaging to/with all contacts (both active and inactive) are paused
- Flow enrollments are paused
- Response from AI agents are paused
- Broadcasts sending are paused
ℹ️ Other non-AI features and your existing data remain available. You can still receive incoming messages from contacts.
Manage your MACs usage
To view and manage your MACs usage:
- Click on the
icon on the left-hand navigation bar - On the Subscriptions page in Plans and Billings, you can review the monthly active contact usage showing your current month’s usage vs. limit
ℹ️ Note: When the MACs limit is reached, messaging and flow enrollments are paused. Existing conversations remain in your Inbox.
Update monthly active contact usage tier
You can adjust the monthly active contact usage tier anytime to match changing engagement needs, scale up for peak periods or bring it down later.
To edit your monthly active contacts (MACs) usage tier:
- Click on the
icon on the left-hand navigation bar -
On the Subscription page in Plans and Billings, you can review the monthly active contact usage showing your current month’s usage vs. limit
- Click on Upgrade plan to update your MACs tier
-
Update the upper limit of monthly active contacts via the dropdown, and continue with payment as required
What happens after you update the MACs tier
When you upgrade your MACs tier, the change takes effect immediately after confirmation. The Plan and Billing page may take a short while to reflect the updated limit. Once the usage refreshes, you’ll see your new limit and updated usage on the page.
If you’d like to downgrade your MACs tier, please contact our team for assistance. For higher-than-listed tiers or complex needs, please contact us to explore Enterprise options with a SleekFlow specialist.
Usage cycle of monthly active contacts
Your monthly active contacts (MACs) limit reset every month based on your plan.
- Paid plans: The cycle starts from the date you purchased your plan
- Free plans: The cycle starts from the date your company was created
- Reset date: The cycle renews on the same day each month. If your start date falls on the last day of the month, it will always reset on the last day of each month
- Upgrades: If you upgrade your plan or MACs tier during a cycle, the upgrade date becomes your new cycle start date
FAQs
Q: If I delete a contact, does it remove them from this month’s MACs?
A: No. MACs are based on activity within the cycle; once counted, they remain counted for that month.
Q: Do internal tests count?
A: No. Messages from the testing channel don’t count.
Q: Do broadcasts count?
A: Not unless the contact replies. A reply makes them a MAC.
Q: Why didn’t my usage update instantly?
A: MACs are calculated in scheduled batches and updated twice daily, so you’ll see usage catch up shortly.
Q: What happens to AI when MACs run out?
A: When your MAC limit is reached, AI replies to customers are paused, meaning the AI will not send new messages or respond to customers. Your data/configurations remain intact.